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University of Florida

UF Hurricane Hub connects reporters with experts during the 2026 season


As the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its outlook today for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, the University of Florida offers its annual  Hurricane Hub — a comprehensive resource connecting journalists with leading experts on all aspects of hurricane preparedness, response and recovery.

NOAA predicts eight to 14 named storms this year, with three to six hurricanes and one to three reaching category 3 or above status. UF researchers are available to provide timely, informed insights to support media coverage throughout the season — from storm forecasting and infrastructure resilience to emergency management, public health and environmental impacts.

Details about UF experts and highlights of their research from past storms are available on UF’s updated Hurricane Hub. Featured experts include:

  • Jeffrey Carney, director of the Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience and the Florida Resilient Cities program, focuses on enhancing community resilience in Florida through collaborative design, with current projects addressing post-disaster housing and hurricane recovery in rural areas.
  • David Prevatt, a wind engineer and professor of civil and coastal engineering has spent a career studying how houses and residential communities perform during hurricanes and tornadoes. His work examines building performance, recovery and rebuilding and how engineering knowledge is turned into policies to improve long-term outcomes in our residential and building standards. 
  • Brian Phillips, a structural engineer, investigates the impact of hurricanes by analyzing data collected from storm-monitoring equipment that he and a team deploy just hours before landfall. The data, which includes wind, surge and water levels, help identify vulnerabilities that can lead to coastal and property damage, as well as threats to life.

While forecasters are calling for below-average activity influenced by El Niño, one major storm can make it feel like an active year for those impacted. Providing the public with accurate, science-based information is critical.